US forces boarded and captured the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic on 7 January, completing a dramatic two-week chase that saw the vessel hastily adopt Russian registration, paint a Russian flag on its hull, and flee across the ocean—all while Moscow's submarine rushed to intercept but arrived too late.
The seizure exposes a critical vulnerability in Russia's expanding scheme to shield its sanction-evading shadow fleet behind the Russian flag. Since December, at least a dozen Western-sanctioned tankers have reflagged to Russia to avoid drone strikes and vessel seizures—a strategy that had until now appeared to offer protection.
How the US-UK operation unfolded
The operation to seize the Russian tanker involved a coordinated display of military force rarely seen against a single commercial vessel:
- Two US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft
- Three U-28A Draco special operations aircraft
- A KC-135 aerial refueling tanker
- British Shadow R1 reconnaissance aircraft, C-130J Hercules transports, and a Boeing Poseidon
NBC News reported that Britain provided "pre-planned operational support" and "surveillance support from the air," the UK Defence Ministry stated.
The Coast Guard cutter Munro had been tracking the tanker for two weeks through treacherous Atlantic storms. When US forces finally boarded—using MH-6 Little Bird helicopters from the Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment—Russian naval vessels including a submarine were nearby but did not intervene.
"The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world," US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared.
Moscow's weak response to tanker seizure
Russia's official reaction was notably subdued—a plea for good treatment rather than a threat of retaliation.
The Transport Ministry stated the vessel had received "temporary permission" to sail under the Russian flag on 24 December and argued that "no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states" under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Foreign Ministry demanded that Washington ensure "humane and dignified treatment" of Russian citizens among the crew and called for their "prompt return."
Moscow also complained the vessel was "receiving heightened attention from the US and NATO militaries—attention that is clearly disproportionate to its peaceful status."
A few Russian politicians went further. Alexei Zhuravlev, first deputy head of the State Duma's Defense Committee, demanded Russia "attack with torpedoes and sink a couple of American patrol boats." The Kremlin has not echoed such rhetoric.
Ukraine welcomes US seizure of Russian tanker
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha welcomed the US move: "The apprehension of a Russian-flagged ship in the North Atlantic underscores the United States' and President Trump's resolute leadership. We welcome such approach to dealing with Russia: act, not fear. This is also relevant to peace process and bringing a lasting peace closer."
Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk called the operation "an extremely useful precedent for enforcing the implementation of sanctions. [...] Very good. We need more." The vessel's itinerary, he noted, demonstrates how Russia's shadow fleet operates: "It came out of Iran, carried oil from Venezuela, became under the flag of the Russian Federation."
The shadow fleet tanker's history
The tanker—known as Bella 1 before its mid-chase makeover—was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2024 for allegedly transporting illicit cargo for a company linked to Hezbollah, NBC News reported.
According to the UK's defense ministry, the ship was "involved in illegal activity, linked to international terrorism and crime including Hezbollah, and part of the web of rising shadow activity that fuels and finances nefarious activity across the globe."
At least three other sanctioned tankers near Venezuela have reflagged to Russia in recent weeks, according to NBC News. Whether the Marinera seizure deters others from seeking Moscow's protection remains to be seen.
Russia's shadow fleet—estimated at over 1,100 vessels—has been under increasing pressure from Ukrainian drone strikes and Western enforcement. The Marinera's capture suggests Moscow's flag may no longer offer the protection it once did.
